CHIANG MAI, Thailand – Tourist Police raided two locations in Chiang Mai on November 7 following complaints from South Korean tourists who said tour operators had taken them to buy dietary supplements costing as much as 40,000 baht per box, with exaggerated claims that the products could treat various illnesses.
The operation involved Tourist Police, officials from the Department of Tourism and Chiang Mai Provincial Public Health Office, acting under search warrants issued by Chiang Mai Provincial Court.
At the first location in Ton Pao, San Kamphaeng district, officers discovered four supplement products. Two were suspected of being unregistered medicines or controlled food products without approval from the Food and Drug Administration (FDA).
During the raid, officers found a 61-year-old South Korean man, presenting products to a group of South Korean tourists in a VIP room. He was unable to produce a work permit and admitted falsely presenting himself as an expert while promoting the products. He reportedly had been doing so for about a month.
He was arrested for working without permission or outside the scope of his authorized employment. Two other workers, a 27-year-old Myanmar national and a 26-year-old stateless woman, were also arrested on charges of working without permission. All three were taken to San Kamphaeng Police Station for legal proceedings.
At the second location, officers inspected a licensed food manufacturing facility but found products not manufactured by the company being offered for sale. Of eight products examined, four had valid FDA registration, one carried incorrect FDA labeling and three bearing the AGAR THAI 2026 mark were suspected of being unregistered controlled products. These were seized for further examination.
Tourist Police are expanding their investigation into the South Korean investors and whether Thai nationals were being used as nominee shareholders to conceal foreign business interests.
The Department of Tourism also examined the work orders of two tour companies and found that neither had listed visits to the two businesses in their tour programs. Officials said this could constitute a failure to follow declared itineraries and inform tourists in advance. Legal action is being considered, including possible suspension of their tourism business licenses.
Tourist Police said the investigation would continue to identify everyone involved and prevent tourists from being exploited. Visitors needing assistance can contact the Tourist Police hotline at 1155 or use the Thailand Tourist Police application.
